Forum Feedback thread

Tom Dunne

Ok, as promised, I am opening a discussion on the forum itself.

As you are all probably now aware, we have added an extra moderator, helimachoptor as a first step in the process. This is not up for discussion in this thread, however I do appreciate there are calls for a moderator to be picked from the regulars and it is something we will actively look at in due course.

So, to the forum itself. I appreciate there will be some strong opinions and they are to be welcomed, however I do ask that they are kept civil and factual. Hearsay and conjecture will not be acknowledged.

Also please bear in mind that this is in relation to the forum - I don't have the foggiest idea about horses (despite being from Kildare, I know, I know) so semantics about horses and betting are utterly lost on me.

Finally, while I will be the main point of contact, other mods/cmods/admins may jump in from time to time to offer their opinions.

Over to you.

Slattsy

Firstly, i'd maybe consider stickying this thread as with Royal Ascot starting today this could get tangled up in a myriad of random threads that pop up here, and there will be a daily thread for Ascot.

Secondly, i strongly believe a forum mod should contribute to the forum. Im not sure if helimachoptor has an interest in HR but i'd be hopeful he was chosen because he has, and he's not just going to read over threads and infract/warn posters if they say something out of line. But hopefully this wont be the case.

@convert im not in anyway having a pop at you here, but i dont think i've ever seen you stick up a fancy or have an opinion on a race. So i'd welcome you to get involved a bit more. You cant be any worse of a tipster than the rest of us!!

ft9

Off topic does exactly what it says on the tin. If it's off topic it goes there. People getting infractions for posting about soccer etc on there is ridiculous.

Tips thread should allow a certain amount of chat relating to tips that have been given out.

ft9

Also an after timing thread should exist with screenshots mandatory. If people after time without the screenshot = ban.

Nulty

ft9 wrote: »

Also an after timing thread should exist with screenshots mandatory. If people after time without the screenshot = ban.

I am utterly against this

ft9

Why?

the groutch

In relation to the off-topic thread, the main problem is that there was never any ground rules or limitations laid out in advance.
So when a CMod who wouldn't generally frequent the forum came in an started applying rules to the thread which conflicted with the opinions of UrbanSea who while being a mod was considered "one of the guys", it's understandable that people got upset.
In future if a mod/cmod wants to put restrictions on a thread beyond the normal boards.ie rules, they need to be doing so at an early stage, and not just ad lib.

NaiveMelodies

Tips Thread is a complete joke, hate to think there are people following tips blind from lads who claim to have connections from every corner of the globe.(LITERALLY!!)
It really gets to me, and it's irrelevant whether or not they are winning, it's as good as trolling in my opinion.

Obviously there are certain people that are honest and very generously pass on genuine info but if there was a way to weed out the spoofers it would improve the quality of posts and posters.
It's incredible how the forum as a whole goes through periods of really informative and interesting discussion, and then to the other extreme when you notice the better posters decrease in activity as waves of absolute sh*tehawks take over and start threads on a 64 rated 9 year old gelding running in the back arse of back arses.

Nulty

ft9 wrote: »

Why?

Aftertiming is not any better with proof. I've seen guys get caught faking pictures of being slips etc. It's just not something that should be encouraged at all. If you've got enough respect around here and not known for showing off you'll get away with Aftertiming every now and again - a blind eye. I definitely don't want to see a thread devoted to it. Never.

Nulty

I'd like to hear why urban sea left. I don't know why it happened. Could someone please explain?

the groutch

only1stevo wrote: »

waves of absolute sh*tehawks take over and start threads on a 64 rated 9 year old gelding running in the back arse of back arses.

every race has a winner though, and alot of times the best tips are in mediocre races like that

NaiveMelodies

the groutch wrote: »

every race has a winner though, and alot of times the best tips are in mediocre races like that

A poor anecdote by me but there's no need for new threads on such topics... if there's no daily thread, start a daily thread or throw it in off topic thread.
Anyway it's not my main issue, my main issue is the arses who have recently set up camp in Tips Thread.

Goldcupfav

only1stevo wrote: »

Tips Thread is a complete joke, hate to think there are people following tips blind from lads who claim to have connections from every corner of the globe.(LITERALLY!!)
It really gets to me, and it's irrelevant whether or not they are winning, it's as good as trolling in my opinion.

Obviously there are certain people that are honest and very generously pass on genuine info but if there was a way to weed out the spoofers it would improve the quality of posts and posters.
It's incredible how the forum as a whole goes through periods of really informative and interesting discussion, and then to the other extreme when you notice the better posters decrease in activity as waves of absolute sh*tehawks take over and start threads on a 64 rated 9 year old gelding running in the back arse of back arses.

Excellent post and if these problems could be sorted the forum would improved for the better.

Nulty

only1stevo wrote: »

A poor anecdote by me but there's no need for new threads on such topics... if there's no daily thread, start a daily thread or throw it in off topic thread.
Anyway it's not my main issue, my main issue is the arses who have recently set up camp in Tips Thread.

I'm fairness convert has tried to do a job there and got no appreciation for it.

Gavin "shels"

Nulty wrote: »

I'd like to hear why urban sea left. I don't know why it happened. Could someone please explain?

I know he's in America for the summer so is it just a break? Same as last year?

NaiveMelodies

Nulty wrote: »

I'd like to hear why urban sea left. I don't know why it happened. Could someone please explain?

Urban left due to the ban on 'excessive' world cup discussion in the off topic forum.
Genuinely pissed off I can't read his views on Ascot this week.

NaiveMelodies

Nulty wrote: »

I'm fairness convert has tried to do a job there and got no appreciation for it.

No Convert tried to stop discussion in the tips forum.
I'm talking about the liars who claim to have contacts in every yard under the sun- has to be stopped out if possible.

If this isn't possible, the forum is fcuked imo.

helimachoptor

Lets leave out the speculation about Urbansea's departure, he's gone, that isn't going to change.

helimachoptor

only1stevo wrote: »

No Convert tried to stop discussion in the tips forum.
I'm talking about the liars who claim to have contacts in every yard under the sun- has to be stopped out if possible.

If this isn't possible, the forum is fcuked imo.

Its the internet, just because someone posts rubbish you dont have to believe it.

Frankly its impossible to say X user is 100% telling the truth about the stable hand in Y stud or whatever, people arent vetted.

NaiveMelodies

helimachoptor wrote: »

Lets leave out the speculation about Urbansea's departure, he's gone, that isn't going to change.

It's not speculation, I saw his post, I'm just relaying the facts.

It should be acknowledged that his departure was an almighty fcuk up by all concerned.




By the way welcome to the forum!

Slattsy

only1stevo wrote: »

No Convert tried to stop discussion in the tips forum.
I'm talking about the liars who claim to have contacts in every yard under the sun- has to be stopped out if possible.

If this isn't possible, the forum is fcuked imo.

How do you do that though mate?
You cant stop people posting regardless what sort of nonsense you or anyone think they're sprouting. Put them on ignore maybe?

Gregk961

Agreed about the tips thread I would certainly worry about some nieve people going overboard on the back of made up information and also good tips being lost among the muck (which happened with a bumper winner on sunday)

Nulty

helimachoptor wrote: »

Lets leave out the speculation about Urbansea's departure, he's gone, that isn't going to change.

On the contrary, I think it's pivotal as to why your here, why this thread is open and why everyone feels aggrieved. I'm not asking for anything other than for someone to describe the scenario that led to his departure. He was a user as much as a mod. If he feels the need to leave it's demonstrative of why we need a feedback forum at all and significantly related to what needs to be examined here.

That sounds very formal but it's the best way I can communicate it.

NaiveMelodies

Slattsy wrote: »

How do you do that though mate?
You cant stop people posting regardless what sort of nonsense you or anyone think they're sprouting. Put them on ignore maybe?

Yeah fair point and I can't think of any obvious solution at the moment.

I should use the ignore button more but my general point was that its diminishing the overall quality of the forum because I feel it puts off the better posters.
I don't follow these tips and even when the sound lads throw up info I'd never follow blindly fwiw.

Nulty

Slattsy wrote: »

How do you do that though mate?
You cant stop people posting regardless what sort of nonsense you or anyone think they're sprouting. Put them on ignore maybe?

I'd say it's impossible. And I'll also say that I could live without the tips thread for that reason. It's impossible to moderate.

helimachoptor

Nulty wrote: »

On the contrary, I think it's pivotal as to why your here, why this thread is open and why everyone feels aggrieved. I'm not asking for anything other than for someone to describe the scenario that led to his departure. He was a user as much as a mod. If he feels the need to leave it's demonstrative of why we need a feedback forum at all and significantly related to what needs to be examined here.

That sounds very formal but it's the best way I can communicate it.

All mods are users and all users have the right to close their account without having the reasons speculated on. If i closed my account for whatever reason i'd prefer it not be talked about on any forum.


Rather than look to the past decision of urbansea, It seems most people have a fair idea of what happened, so lets look at what can be done to help prevent another key user closing their account and improve the forum.

sdoc13

Nulty wrote: »

I'd say it's impossible. And I'll also say that I could live without the tips thread for that reason. It's impossible to moderate.

Agree this may be the answer. Maybe the tips thread is attracting people looking for an inside track which for the most part does not exist. Most people here want reasoned analysis of their own or other people's selections.

andyman

I think the main issue at hand has been put to bed really.

I know Beasty has a tough job as a CMod. GAA, Soccer and Rugby are 3 of the most volatile fora on the site and he has to look over them and he has done a good job overall.

He got it so, so wrong last week, though and the forum descended into chaos as a result. I like to think that we are generally a sound bunch who cause little to no trouble but if rules were applied properly, a lot of us should have been in trouble. This says to me that all parties agreed that the gun was jumped. I think he was wrong to go over Urban's head in the manner he did because in all honesty, nobody was doing any harm other than having a chat with users they've grown to become friends with over the years.

If there needs to be limitations put into the off topic thread, now is the time to apply them. Otherwise, we could easily find ourselves with a repeat situation.

tomaussie

only1stevo wrote: »

Urban left due to the ban on 'excessive' world cup discussion in the off topic forum.
Genuinely pissed off I can't read his views on Ascot this week.

No. Urban closed his account because his post was deleted in the off topic thread.

The post that was deleted went along the lines of 'are Brazil really that good?'.
Again, this post was in the off topic thread.

So he took a moral stance and deleted his account and I respect him for it. If more people took his stance then it would be less likely to happen in the first place.

I miss his contribution too Stevo.

Bateman

The very idea of having 'rules' in an off-topic thread is illogical IMO

Nulty

helimachoptor wrote: »

All mods are users and all users have the right to close their account without having the reasons speculated on. If i closed my account for whatever reason i'd prefer it not be talked about on any forum.


Rather than look to the past decision of urbansea, It seems most people have a fair idea of what happened, so lets look at what can be done to help prevent another key user closing their account and improve the forum.

I agree with your motives but I don't see how we can learn and try to avoid it unless we all know what happened. I'm all for avoiding past mistakes but I can't do that unless I know what went wrong in the first place.

I thought that should be clarified here so we can move forward.